During breaking news coverage of a mall shooting in Portland Tuesday, KGW reporter Mike Benner interviewed the mall’s Santa Claus, who was seeing children at the time of the shooting (video above).

“Santa, what is going through your mind as this is happening?” Benner asked the man, who said he heard up to 16 shots before taking cover.

The interview didn’t impress one local news veteran, who emailed TVSpy: “Why is this reporter referring to this guy as Santa. He’s a guy in a suit. During breaking news of this magnitude, he’s not Santa.”